questionable.

adailyriot:

ayiman:

That awkward moment when some ridiculous, ignorant New Ager purports to tell actual Native people how we should conduct ourselves by reproducing for us some strange pan-Indian code of ethics that none of us have ever heard of.

wildspiritwolf:

1. Each morning upon rising, and each evening before sleeping, give thanks for the life within you and for all life, for the good things the Creator has given you and for the opportunity to grow a little more each day. Consider your thoughts and actions of the past day and seek for the courage and strength to be a better person. Seek for the things that will benefit others (everyone).

Thanks, Kicimanitou (even though you’re not really some big super-wizard in the sky), for giving me these ridiculous New-Agers to laugh and poke fun at.

2. Respect: Respect means “To feel or show honor or esteem for someone or something; to consider the well being of, or to treat someone or something with deference or courtesy”. Showing respect is a basic law of life. 

Fetishizing an entire race and shoehorning several hundred different cultures and belief systems into a ridiculous pastiche is respectful (things I learned today)

Treat every person from the tiniest child to the oldest elder with respect at all times. Special respect should be given to Elders, Parents, Teachers, and Community Leaders.

Except when those Elders, Teachers and Community Leaders take offense at your ridiculous exotification of our people and belief systems

 No person should be made to feel “put down” by you; avoid hurting other hearts as you would avoid a deadly poison. 
Touch nothing that belongs to someone else (especially Sacred Objects) without permission, or an understanding between you. 

This rule doesn’t apply if you’re a white person picking spirit animals for yourself.  That’s automatically Good and Respectful, and you don’t need permission from anyone because your heart is in the right place and those mean old injuns are just reverse racists.  If only they knew how good and pure you really were!

Respect the privacy of every person, never intrude on a person’s quiet moment or personal space. 

Feel free to invade our cultures though.  Door’s open, take whatever you feel like!

Never walk between people that are conversing.

Good advice! 

Never interrupt people who are conversing.

It offends us on a deep, spiritual level and angers the spirits when you interrupt anyone, unless of course you have a Bingo!

Speak in a soft voice, especially when you are in the presence of Elders, strangers or others to whom special respect is due.

This is especially true if there are white folks around. 

Do not speak unless invited to do so at gatherings where Elders are present (except to ask what is expected of you, should you be in doubt).

Unless they’re being mean to you and disrespecting your homogenized, appropriated faith that is mostly unrecognizable to them.

Never speak about others in a negative way, whether they are present or not.

Exceptions include passive aggressive posts on Tumblr meant for those mean ol’ injuns who clearly need a lesson in Native American ethics from some ridiculous New-Age douche.

Treat the earth and all of her aspects as your mother. Show deep respect for the mineral world, the plant world, and the animal world. Do nothing to pollute our Mother, rise up with wisdom to defend her.

I promise to call her once a month, at least.  

Show deep respect for the beliefs and religion of others.

Except when their beliefs and religions are the source of your appropriative behaviour.  Then it’s perfectly alright to disrespect it, because your heart is in the right place.

Listen with courtesy to what others say, even if you feel that what they are saying is worthless. Listen with your heart.

Unless they’re telling you that you’re offending them.  Then it’s totally alright to dismiss them out-of-hand.

Respect the wisdom of the people in council. Once you give an idea to a council meeting it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the people. Respect demands that you listen intently to the ideas of others in council and that you do not insist that your idea prevail. Indeed you should freely support the ideas of others if they are true and good, even if those ideas are quite different from the ones you have contributed. The clash of ideasbrings forth the Spark of Truth.

Like, the imposed Band Council form of Government that the Feds forced upon us that don’t actually have much in common with our traditional form of government?

I mean, I know some of the guys on the band council.  They’re assholes!  

But then, moniyaw, you obviously know this sort of thing better than I do.

3. Once a council has decided something in unity, respect demands that no one speak secretly against what has been decided. If the council has made an error, that error will become apparent to everyone in its own time. 

BECAUSE THEY ARE INFALLIBLE AND MANDATED BY CREATOR-GOD AND DECISIONS MUST NEVER BE RE-VISITED.

ALSO, NATIVES MUST NEVER GOSSIP, EVER (LOL)

4. Be truthful at all times, and under all conditions. 

Even when playing cards.

5. Always treat your guests with honor and consideration. Give of your best food, your best blankets, the best part of your house, and your best service to your guests.

Invite them to your ceremonies, too.  

6. The hurt of one is the hurt of all, the honor of one is the honor of all.

Does not apply to Native Americans or their legitimate spiritual beliefs, apparently.

7. Receive strangers and outsiders with a loving heart and as members of the human family. 

Since when?  These New Age clowns sure as shit aren’t coming to the next Thirst Dance.

8. All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected.

Wait, what?  I’m Cree, does this mean that Blackfoots are our buddies now?!  Seriously? 

9. To serve others, to be of some use to family, community, nation, and the world is one of the main purposes for which human beings have been created. Do not fill yourself with your own affairs and forget your most important talks. True happiness comes only to those who dedicate their lives to the service of others.

You can help me by giving me all your stuff.  

10. Observe moderation and balance in all things.

Except bingo cards.  Get as many of those suckers as you can handle.

11. Know those things that lead to your well-being, and those things that lead to your destruction.

Like when white people reduce us into a singular, exotic homogenization that ignores the richness and breadth of our cultures and beliefs?

does that count as destructive, or…?

12. Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

Especially when you’re picking a spirit animal for yourself.

“ALSO, NATIVES MUST NEVER GOSSIP, EVER”

filed under: impossibilities.